


Hands Tied

by Carmenlire



Series: Who Is in Control [5]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Blood and Violence, Crimes & Criminals, Gang Violence, M/M, Minor Character Death, Mob Boss Alec Lightwood, Organized Crime, Secret Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-30
Updated: 2020-03-30
Packaged: 2021-03-01 03:40:48
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,438
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23398627
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Carmenlire/pseuds/Carmenlire
Summary: “You should have run away when you had the chance,” Magnus whispers in Alec’s ear. He stills himself against a reaction, knows in the tone of Magnus’s voice that he felt his tremor anyway.Or, what hides in the shadows will always find the light.
Relationships: Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood
Series: Who Is in Control [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1248773
Comments: 34
Kudos: 250





	Hands Tied

Pain seizes through Alec and it’s only instinct, well-honed, that keeps him from crying out.

“Lightwood, Lightwood, Lightwood,” someone chastises him, tone equal parts mocking and gleeful. A grunt escapes him as his hair is suddenly caught in a vise grip and yanked back to expose his throat. He feels the sharp edge of a knife dig into the side of his neck, suppresses a shiver at the rivulet of blood he feels trickle into his collar. “You should have known your place.”

It takes a few moments for Alec to blink his eyes open. In those few moments, he catalogs his injuries, notes the bruised-- if not cracked-- ribs that make his breathing wretchedly difficult. He can only imagine what his face looks like as it shimmers between numbness and a burning chill. When he swipes his tongue across his bottom lip, he tastes copper and his thigh is throbbing like it caught a particularly nasty kick.

When he finally does open his eyes, he finds the vision in the left is a little blurry but he’s still able to focus on his surroundings. The scene is a familiar one, though the asshole currently thinking he holds all the cards serves as a little variation.

“Aldertree,” Alec grits out and doesn’t try to stop the sneer of disdain at the sight of the man grinning like the cat who’s caught the canary.

Aldertree steps back and that allows Alec space enough to see the empty warehouse, the thousands of square feet of empty space. It looks dingy and just a little too contrived-- like something out of a movie scene, if he’s being honest with himself-- but the man before him has always liked to think of himself as a bit of a ringmaster.

From his periphery he sees a couple of men standing watch at the only entrance to the room. They both look bored, hands resting idly on their guns, and Alec wonders how long until the next step unfolds.

Aldertree sighs. Alec focuses his attention back on the fucking snake in front of him and raises a single brow. Just that little action hurts like a bitch but Alec’s long since learned that appearances will always matter most in tableaus like this. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing, Aldertree?”

Crossing his arms over his chest, Aldertree takes a step back. _All the better to peer down on me like I’m his goddamn peasant_ , Alec thinks to himself but he keeps his expression still.

Aldertree shakes his head slowly as he reaches into his coat and pulls out a handkerchief that he uses to wipe the blade of his knife. Once that’s done, he carefully folds the stained linen until the blood is hidden away and slips it back into his pocket with a moue of distaste. The knife disappears, as well.

“A little birdie told me that you had your eye on the eastern front of my territory,” Aldertree drawls as he looks at Alec with dark eyes.

They look almost warm in the dim light.

“That little birdie told me that you were had designs on the gambling dens in that neighborhood and, well, that accounts for almost thirty percent of my revenue.” Aldertree tuts. “We can’t have you cutting into my profits. Now can we, Lightwood?”

Alec’s face is blank as he simply asks, “And who is this informant of yours? Surely you’re not believing rumors from any pathetic little street runner who comes your way?”

“Oh no, Lightwood. My sources are always above reproach.” Like the pompous asshole he is, Aldertree gestures grandly behind him and it’s then that Alec sees a figure appear from the shadows like some sort of fucking phantom.

“Bane,” Alec greets coolly. “What are you doing here?”

Alec watches as Bane steps forward, looking like he’s stepping off a goddamn runway and not fastidiously avoiding the filth of the warehouse as he comes into the light. He grins at Alec, lethal around the corners.

“I’m sorry you had to find out this way,” Magnus starts and his gaze is unwavering on Alec’s. “You see, I know you’re a newcomer here, darling, but you should know well enough to leave things alone.”

“Things?”

“Yes, things like well-established territory lines.” Magnus moves closer until he’s standing just in front of Alec and then he leans down. His voice softens until it’s just a whisper, until Alec flicks his gaze over Magnus’s shoulder to see Aldertree straining to hear his next words. “Things like trying to usurp the best player in the game.”

Without warning, Magnus’s hand is on Alec’s neck, fingers tightening in a sinister threat. Alec swallows hard and watches the way Magnus’s eyes darken as he feels the ripple under his hand.

“I don’t see anything but a little boy trying to fill daddy’s shoes,” Alec forces out. “Asmodeus ran the empire but he's dead, Bane. He’s dead and all that’s left is you and a half dozen petty criminals playing at kings. I see an opportunity and the way things stand now, the whole fucking city’s ripe for the taking.”

Alec meets Magnus’s considering gaze. For all he cares, it’s just the two of them. Aldertree, standing behind Magnus, huffs in indignation but like this, with Magnus so close that Alec can feel his breath, it’s clear who the real players are.

“Is that so, darling?” Magnus’s mouth curves into the faintest smirk and it’s all the warning Alec gets before he’s suddenly forced up by the hand still lingering on his throat and shoved backwards. His chair topples loudly in the otherwise still room but Bane doesn't pay it any mind.

He trips over his feet but Magnus doesn’t let that deter him as he pushes Alec until his back makes painful contact with the nearest wall. He grunts in surprise and feels the ache in his already sore ribs before Magnus’s hold on him changes. He grabs a handful of Alec’s once pristine shirt and pulls him toward him before unceremoniously turning him and shoving his face into brick that’s at least a decade overdue for a good scrubbing.

“You fucker,” Alec spits out and gets nothing but a mocking laugh and a mouthful of gritty dust for his trouble.

Bane presses him against the wall and behind him Alec can hear the sounds of a gun’s safety being flipped off, the cool slide of a blade from its sheath.

“You should have run away when you had the chance,” Magnus whispers in Alec’s ear. He stills himself against a reaction, knows in the tone of Magnus’s voice that he felt his tremor anyway. “Didn’t your mother ever tell you about little Goldilocks who bit off more than she could chew?”

Relaxing against the damned uncomfortable brick, Alec sucks in a breath as he feels hands cover his own bound ones, as he feels rope give way. He closes his eyes, keeping his hands together and puts his trust in Magnus for the hundredth time. 

In a voice too low to be overheard, Alec replies, “You know what they say, Bane. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.”

Magnus noses along the back of Alec’s neck for a split second-- Alec feeling the ghost of Magnus’s breath more than anything else-- before abruptly pulling back to look over his shoulder at the three men still in the room.

“You really worked Lightwood over, didn’t you, Aldertree?” Facing forward again, only Alec hears the sly aside muttered in silk tones, “But you do like it messy, don’t you, Alexander?”

He bites back a grin as Magnus’s attention is once more shifted back to Aldertree and his lackeys. His eyes are still closed as he feels the blunt edge of a knife slide along his palm before it disappears along his sleeve. With a last, covert sweep of a hand along his ass, Magnus steps back and everything in the room chills as Alec feels a gun rest on the back of his head and hears it cock back.

“Now, Bane,” comes Aldertree’s soothing voice. Or, what Alec imagines would be soothing if the smug undertone wasn’t clearly audible. “Are you sure that’s necessary? Don’t want the poor boy to piss himself.”

Magnus hums a little. “I’m surprised at you, Victor. I would’ve thought you’d want Lightwood’s head on a pike for the way he’d planned to cheat you. Never say you’re going soft in your old age.”

Aldertree’s laugh holds a bite as he moves closer, heels tapping along the cracked cement. “Don’t you worry about me, Bane. I’m just trying to be the voice of reason here. Are you sure he doesn’t hold any further information that could be of use?”

“Good point.” Magnus nudges Alec with the gun and Alec can hear the smirk in his voice as he asks, “Well, Lightwood? Maybe if you’re a good boy, we’ll let you leave this place alive.”

Alec barks out a laugh. “Go fuck yourself.”

His laughter is cut off quickly as Aldertree lunges forward. From the corner of his eye, Alec sees Magnus step back and watch the proceedings calmly as Aldertree turns Alec until he has a clear angle and then Alec’s served with a neat right cross. His vision wavers and it takes everything he has to keep his cool and not break character.

It wouldn’t do to ruin the scene before its time.

Alec doesn’t react to the punch, just lets himself be hauled back up until Aldertree’s snarling face appears. “I think you need to learn some respect, Lightwood. It’s been less than a year since Robert died and I think I speak for everyone when I say, we’ve allowed you to play long enough.”

It takes more effort than it should to straighten and Alec’s breath is forced as he sneers. “And who the fuck are you to teach me some respect? You’re nothing but a pathetic snake of a man who makes his men do his bidding. That’s you’re problem, Aldertree. You don’t know how to dirty your hands anymore. You’re a goddamn coward.”

“You little bitch,” Aldertree grits out but his voice dies before he can spew anymore vitriolic bullshit.

He stares at Alec, stunned, and Alec just grins. His eyes glitter in the low light as he twists the hilt of his knife.

Aldertree groans, low and pained, but it’s drowned out by two neat gunshots. Alec looks over Aldertree’s slumped form to see Magnus studying the two lackeys on the ground as he tucks his revolver back into his waistband.

“Thanks, babe.”

Magnus raises a brow. “No problem, babe,” he replies dryly.

Alec turns back to look at Aldertree and his shock is both palpable and so goddamn satisfying.

“What,” he mutters. “How?”

Alec pulls the knife out of Aldertree’s gut, carelessly wiping the blood on Aldertree’s shoulder. With his free hand, he grabs Aldertree’s chin and forces eye contact. “Bane came to you with news of my planned takeover. Like a little lamb, you believed him and the two of you, in turn, made a plan to capture me. You wanted to show me a lesson.”

Alec leans down until there’s nothing in Aldertree’s sight but him and the evidence that he’s been beat. “But here’s the thing,” Alec continues softly. “Like the dumb little bitch you are, Magnus played you. Magnus and I are a team, Aldertree. We devised our own plan and with you out of the way, that frees up the entire east side of the city. Magnus and I thank you for your sacrifice.”

Without another word, Alec straightens and wraps a hand in Aldertree’s hair, coming round until he’s standing behind him. He yanks Aldertree’s head back and brings his lips to Aldertree’s ears as he makes eye contact with Magnus. “How does it feel to know you’re a dead man, Aldertree?”

It takes some effort but Aldertree finally gets out, “How does nobody know about this alliance of yours? Everyone thinks you and Bane are rivals.”

Magnus watches the scene in front of him with a bemused look. “Oh, Victor,” he sighs. “This job doesn’t allow for any weaknesses. Alexander and I protect each other and the best way to do that is to minimize the other’s role in our lives. You should know better than anyone else what happens when vulnerabilities are exposed.”

“Don’t you dare, Bane,” Aldertree snarls. “You keep her name out of your filthy fucking mouth--”

Magnus’s gaze hardens, though his posture doesn’t tense as he looks at Aldertree like a particularly pitiful bug under his microscope. “You should be happy, Aldertree. You’ll join your lost love soon enough.” He smiles but it’s bitter. “While it’s unfortunate that you won’t be leaving in the same condition you left my poor Alexander, rest well in knowing that dead men know no recompense.”

“The Lightwoods send their regards,” Alec murmurs and then he’s bringing the knife up to Aldertree’s throat and slitting it in a gruesome parody of a smile.

Tossing Aldertree to the grounds, where he lays unmoving, if not silent, Alec looks up at Magnus. “You really let him do whatever the fuck he wanted?”

Magnus frowns a little as he nears Alec and takes out his own handkerchief to dab at his split lip, making a soothing sound when he dabs a little to hard and Alec hisses. “We both knew what this plan involved, Alexander. We had to sell it and I couldn’t very well do that if I was fluttering around you like a worried aunt. Besides,” Magnus utters with a smirk that has Alec preemptively rolling his eyes. “You do like it rough, darling.”

Alec scoffs and finally lets his strings cut. Magnus catches him as he almost doubles over from the aches ringing out all over his body. “At least everything went according to plan.”

“Our respective territories are considerably larger and our profits will both increase dramatically. All in a day’s work. Wouldn’t you agree, darling?”

Magnus’s voice is much too chipper for the way Alec feels like he’s been put through a meat grinder. Making some noise of agreement, Alec lets his eyes close as Magnus starts them toward the exit. 

“You’re sure he was only accompanied by two men. There’s no one else standing guard outside or in the vicinity.”

“No, Aldertree didn’t trust most of his men with such a delicate operation. He wanted everything kept hush hush so that when your men tried to find the truth, there wouldn’t be anyone to tell. We’ve killed the only three people who knew of this little scheme-- and who might have had an inkling about us.”

“Good,” Alec mutters and he groans a little in pain as he’s jostled at the front door. Magnus stops him and just looks at him for a long moment. 

Alec’s just set to ask him what’s wrong when Magnus brings him closer with gentle hands on his jaw and brings him down for a soft kiss. It lasts barely a second and when they break apart, Magnus’s expression is more open than Alec’s ever seen it.

“I don’t like seeing you hurt, Alexander.”

Alec laughs, just a little, more of a huff of air than anything else. “Well, I don’t like being hurt so it looks like we’re in agreement there.”

“I’m serious,” Magnus says and it stills Alec. “I had to watch Aldertree and his men beat you into submission without flinching and I think it might just have been the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. It took everything I had not to rip Aldertree limb from limb for even daring to lay a hand on you.”

“I’m sorry,” Alec offers helplessly but he’s cut off before he can add anything else.

“I don’t need you to be sorry, Alec. This is our life and we both know what that means. I just wish--” Magnus breaks off, frustrated and Alec takes the opportunity to wrap his arms around Magnus and pull him closer for a heartbeat or several.

“Sometimes I wish this wasn’t our life,” Alec murmurs and he feels Magnus still against him. “Sometimes I wish I was just Alec and you were just Magnus and we were free to do whatever we goddamn liked. There’s something alluring about simplicity, isn’t there?”

Magnus is silent for a long moment before he sighs, melting in Alec for a minute before he pulls back to smile up at him. “Perhaps,” he allows. “But we both know we’d be bored to tears if we were just Magnus and Alec. The fact of the matter is, Alexander, that I want you anyway I can have you. If that means, in between dodging bullets and making underhanded deals, then so be it.”

Alec brushes his lips over Magnus’s forehead and breathes him in. “You have me, Magnus. For however long you like.”

All that escapes Magnus is a quiet but fervent, “Good.”

Alec smiles a little as Magnus reaches for the door. “I assume your car is waiting outside?”

With a quiet scoff, Magnus replies, “Of course it is, darling. I’m taking you back to mine so I can make sure you take the proper time to recover. I’m sure you can spare a night or two. Just tell Jack that you needed some alone time. He knows how broody you can get.”

Alec’s laughing a little as Magnus pulls back the door but it quickly turns into a squint against the harsh sunlight. He’s just about to walk outside when he hears someone call his name and he freezes, Magnus still behind the open door with a hand on Alec’s arm.

“Alec?”

Looking up, the first thing he sees is Magnus’s unmarked car up the block. His focus is immediately captured by his brother just a few meters from him, however, and Alec rapidly blinks. “Jace? What the hell are you doing here?”

“What do you think? Your driver reported that you never came out of the club and when we checked video surveillance, we saw you get abducted by that bastard Aldertree.”

Alec feels Magnus fall away like a ghost through shadows and it takes considerably more effort than it should for Alec to keep from looking over his shoulder as his boyfriend vanishes between one heartbeat and the next.

Shaking his head a little to clear it and then grimacing as it wakes up the headache that’s been tap dancing on his temples for some time now, Alec just nods grimly. “Aldertree did kidnap me-- something about wanting my territory-- but don’t worry, Jace. I took care of him.”

Jace comes to stand just in front of Alec, running critical eyes over his injuries before summarily dismissing them. They’ve both had worse.

He ducks past Alec and takes in the scene on the warehouse floor, whistling lowly. “Jesus Christ, you sure did a number on them.” He rakes assessing eyes over Alec. “Mighty impressive for your condition, bro.”

Shrugging uncomfortably, Alec dodges Jace’s piercing gaze. “You know how it is.” He gestures vaguely. “Adrenaline and all that shit. With Aldertree gone, though, our holdings have just increased.”

Jace hums, pleased. “Nice.”

Alec shuffles from one foot to the other. Jace ignores him for a few long moments, taking in the scene with the eye of a detective before turning back to his brother.

“Well, what’s done is done. Let’s get you home where you can take it easy for a few days and I’ll send a few men over here to clean everything up.”

Alec doesn’t respond, simply nods and turns toward the door. He doesn’t look back, just makes a beeline for his car idling in front of the building.

Jace follows him closely but just as he reaches the steel door, he pauses. He watches the driver hold open the door as his brother climbs into the back seat. With Alec safely in the car, Jace looks over his shoulder, peering into the shadows that linger along the edge of the warehouse.

He represses a shiver as he carefully runs his gaze from corner to corner. 

He could swear he feels eyes on him as he leaves the warehouse, wonders to himself if what he sees is really all there is or if something’s hiding in plain sight.

Something tells him that that not everything is as it seems and Jace learned long ago to never ignore his gut.

As he turns back to his brother, Jace doesn’t falter as he hears footsteps echoing across cement, cheerful whistling following in their wake as they fade away.

**Author's Note:**

> Catch me on tumblr or twitter @carmenlire!


End file.
